Yielding hoof-pad.



Patented my; 29, 190.2. r 1.7mm". v YIELDING HUUF PAD.`

(Appumion med Apr. 4, 1902.)

(lo Model.)

y gd '/lr I1 di' A t l I l A 001' ag' NITED STATESr PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS RYAN, OF GERMANTOVVN, PENNSYLVANIA.

Y'IELDING HOOF-PAD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent o. 705,615, dated July 29, 1902.

p Application filed April 4, 1902. Serial No. 1012324. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS RYAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Germantown, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in YieldingfHorse- Hoof Pads, of which the following is a speciiication.

My invention has relation to an improved yielding Vor elastic pad intended tobe ernployed with a horseshoe in application to a horses hoof to prevent slipping in frosty or slippery weather and a pad in which the frog of the natural hoof is protected against navicular and other similar diseases of the hoof which animals, such as horses, are heir to under certain conditions, due mainly to the fact that a rubber pad with a shoe employed in connection therewith when applied to the foot bears upon the frog in such a manner as to maintain the same under constant pressure while the animal is standing or manipulating the limbs in moving aboutin a stall or other place of location.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a simple and effective yielding or elastic pad for use with a metal horseshoefor horses feet in which the frog is carefully protected in use against pressure, particularly in the rear of the feet, where usually the feet are eonstantly subjected to the greatest strain due to constant pounding of the feet of the animal in standing, the rear portion of the pad acting, as it were, as a bellows between the hoof and the pad for supplying the requisite amount of air to always cushion the frog and maintain it in a healthier condition than hitherto it could be maintained, and also avoiding thereby navicular or ysimilar diseases due to the yielding nature ofthe. heel portion of the pad by the particular arrange-- ment in theupper surface of Aan air-cushion for relieving strain on the frog of the animais hoof. t

My invention, stated ingeneral terms, consists of 'a yielding horse-hoof pad constructed and arranged in substantially the manner hereinafter described and claimed.

The nature, characteristic features, and scope of my present invention will be more fully understoodfrom the followingdesoription, takenvin connection with the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof, in which- Figure l is a top or plan View of a yielding or elastic pad for a horses hoof embodying the particular features of myinvention, showing then metal shoe employed therewith and suitably nailed thereto and through a leather strip into the horses hoof.V Fig. 2 is a similar view of the reverse face of the pad or of that occupying a position in use next to the hoof of the horse, showing the shape of the depression adapted to reduce the pressure upon the frog of the hoof and for cushioning and Ventilating that part of the horses hoof adjacent to or about the frog thereof. Fig. 3 is a side elevational View oi' the pad with its metal shoe shown applied to the hoof of a horse and also showing the condition of the pad with its shoe in actual use. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal central sectional view on the line .fr of Fig. l, showing the particular arrangement of the pad iu the rear or heel portion thereof; and Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional View on the line f1] y of Fig. l, showing the particular arrangement of the back of the pad in the heel portion and location ofthe metal `shoe and leather or similar packing interposed between the upper face of the pad and hoof of the animal.

Referring to the drawings, A represents A the pad,made of rubber or other suitable yielding` or elastic material. From the body a of `the pad in a downward direction is a projecyjection otconstituting the heel portion of the pad, and with a'rim a, slightly.. inclined ou one side at a7.. and iiat ou the otherside at as,

as illustrated in Figs. l and 2, to forni as to the side asa bearing-surface in theV- rearof the side walls of the animals hoof therewith and as to the side o7 a defined finish to the pad in the rear in application to the hoof.

In the upper face of the pad, coming next to the hoot' in use and in the rear portion of the saine, is formed a substantially U -shaped indentation or depression b, constituting a chamber having two contracted extensions b2 and b3 in outline from the main portion of said chamber, contouring substantially with the shape of the frog of the hoof, so thatthe latter will normally be free of the frog, and t when pressure is exerted by the pounding of the animal will not only by the yielding of the pad cushion the frog, but also provide an air-chamber to maintain the frog at all times in a healthy condition, thereby freeing the animals hoof as far as possible from navicular or similar diseases to which animals, such as horses, are heir under certain conditions, and avoiding, furthermore, under constant pressure about the frog, softening or decay of the saine, and thus possible lameness of the animal.

In the heel portion 01,5 of the pad A is provided an air inlet and outlet opening or passage b', which supplies air from the outside of the pad to the chamber b, whereby in the pounding of the feet of the animal with the pads applied thereto the frogs will be cushioned against bruising and in the stamping and cushioning the air will be forced out, and when the pressure is lessened automatically the air will be sucked in through the opening or passage b into the chamber Z), again to thereby maintain the hoof about the frog at all times in a comparatively cool condition, and hence more healthy than it could possibly be otherwise With a pad withoutv such a cushioning and Ventilating vchamber Z7, having a combined air inlet and exit opening or passage b in the wall thereof.

c is the metal shoe fitting the preferably inclined rim of of the body a of the pad A and which rim is disposed about the projection d ofthe same, and nails pass through it and through a leather or other material strip d, if preferred, interposed between the animals hoof e and pad A, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 3. In this view in particular the condition of the foot with the projection ct of the pad below the metal shoe c is clearly shown and by which arrangement it will be observed that considerable Wear of the pad may occurbefore it is brought into a plane with the metal -ing witnesses.

shoe c to be rendered inedectual for safe use on the animal.

The pad as illustrated in Fig. 3 in application to the horses hoof not only insures a neatiitting and sightly-looking shoe and pad, but also one in which greater comfort to the animal is obtained and appreciably lessens any tendency to frog or navicular diseases of the hoof vand even softening or decay of the hoof, with its resultant attending lameness of the animal.

It will be seen from Figs. 2, 4, and 5 that the pad by being offset at a3 and 0,4 permits the leather strip cl to project beyond the pe'- riphery of the pad from the heel portion a5 throughout the sides and front of the pad, so that the metal shoe c may be so located as to partly rest in position not only upon the inclined ledge orrim a9, but also upon the face of the projecting leather strip interposed between the hoof e and the pad A, to thereby insure greater security of the shoe c to the hoof e, as well as a yielding support, and hence greater comfort by such an arrangement of the pad to the animals hoof, as Will be clearly understood from Fig. 3 of the drawings.

Having thus described the nature and object of my invention, what I claim as new,

and desire to secure 4by Letters Patent, is

A horse-hoof pad, whereof one surface is provided with a recessed projection and solid heel portion and whereof the other surface is provided with a flat face'merging into a Wide chamber having end contracted extensions and a combined inlet and outlet passage in the wall of said heel portion, in combination with a leather strip applied to one face of said pad, and a metal shoe in position bearing on the projection of said pad and leather strip beyond the periphery of said pad, substantially as and for the purposes described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my signature in the presence of two subscrib- THOMAS RYAN. Vtitnesses:

J. WALTER DoUGLAss,

THOMAS M. SMITH. 

